‘RSF militias unconstitutional’: Sudan’s Umma Party

When the president of the National Umma Party (NUP), El Sadig El Mahdi, denounced the paramilitary Rapid Defence Forces (RSF), he spoke on behalf of the entire party, according to Sarah Nugdallah, secretary-general of the NUP. The party, in cooperation with other political opposition forces, continues to protest the detention of El Mahdi, and strive for the defence of freedoms in Sudan. Nugdallah affirmed in an interview with Radio Dabanga that the party keeps to its decision not to participate in the National Dialogue, as proposed by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP). She described rumours published by some newspapers about a NCP-NUP dialogue as “merely lies and propaganda”. “These rumours were spread by the national security after cases of corruption within government institutions came to be known – which are only the top of the iceberg. The Imam was detained in order to prevent more information coming out on the widespread corruption, and the internal divisions and problems of the NCP.” The NUP secretary-general called upon all party cadres in the country to step up the recruitment of more supporters, and continue writing petitions and organising peaceful demonstrations, with the aim to reach the stage of “a general civil disobedience in the whole of Sudan”. Rapid Support Forces Concerning the complaint filed by the RSF against El Sadig El Mahdi, Nugdallah declared that the NUP leader’s criticism of the RSF is “the official stance of the entire NUP, including all its institutions”. “We will never change our opinion on this issue. The RSF militias, commanded by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), are unconstitutional. Article 141 of the 2005 Interim Constitution limits the NISS mission to the collection and analysis of information, and presenting recommendations to the decision-making bodies in the nation. The Sudan Armed Forces, not militias, are entrusted with the defence of Sudan and its people.” Security threat The National Consensus Forces (NCF), a coalition of opposition parties, demanded from the National Congress Party to “immediately disarm and disband the militias”. “The RSF have become the largest security threat to the Sudanese.” Siddig Yousif, the chairman of the NCF Information Committee, stressed to the press in Khartoum that its members will not participate in any dialogue that does not lead to the dismantling of the almost 25-years old regime. They accuse the ruling party of strengthening racism, religious discrimination, and igniting civil wars in the country throughout his reign. “The Sudanese government is fully responsible for arming the RSF militias, and the atrocities they committed in the Kordofan and Darfur states.” Close cooperation The NUP and the Sudanese Communist Party on Monday demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of Imam El Sadi El Mahdi and all other political detainees. After a meeting of senior cadres of the two parties at the NUP premises in Omdurman on Monday, both parties announced in a joint statement that they agreed to coordinate their activities together “at all levels and in all sectors”. The parties will closely cooperate, through a joint mechanism, to restore the freedoms in the country as stipulated in the 2005 Interim Constitution. About three weeks ago, El Mahdi publicly denounced the RSF, and accused the militias of committing war crimes in Darfur, recruiting non-Sudanese nationals, and operating beyond the scope of the regular armed troops. The RSF responded by filing an official complaint against him, and on 17 May the NUP leader was detained. Held imprisoned in Kober prison in Khartoum North, he is charged with “disrespecting the prestige of the state, discrediting the regular armed forces, inciting the international community against Sudan, the spreading of false information, breaching public peace, undermining the constitutional order, and violently opposing public authority”. File photo: Prominent NUP leaders, among them Sarah Nugdallah (R) protesting against the detention of El Mahdi in Omdurman on Friday 30 May. Related:Peaceful El Mahdi protests after Friday prayers in Sudan (30 May 2014) ‘El Mahdi detention purely political’: followers (22 May 2014)El Mahdi detention in Sudan: US Embassy expresses concern (22 May 2014) ‘One fifth of Sudan’s militia troops foreign’: SPLM-N (22 May 2014) Press ‘warned’ in Sudan (21 May 2014) Detained El Mahdi warns of unrest in Sudan (19 May 2014) Sudan army reformists demand dissolution of militias (18 May 2014) ‘Sudan government destroyed social fabric in Darfur’: El Mahdi (16 March 2014)